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My birthday was yesterday.

NEVER work on your birthday! I mean NEVER.

Earlier in my career I worked on my birthday all the time. Then, around my 30^th birthday, my mentor Kris Balderston taught me the wisdom of NEVER working on your birthday. Kris explained to me that one’s birthday is a time to reflect not only about all that you’ve accomplished so far, but also about all you mean to accomplish with whatever time you’re blessed to have left.

I learned that taking the time to do this on your birthday is a matter of self-respect, and gratitude. Whatever your belief (God, the Universe, the Earth) – birthdays are time to be thankful for the incredible miracle you represent. Birthdays are a time to marvel how – against all odds – you have been brought into existence with all your amazing abilities and potential.

Even if you WANT to work, even if you’re doing work on your birthday that really matters, even if you NEED to work – I would humbly suggest you don’t. It takes some self-discipline to set aside this one day/year – unique to you – as a day to reflect about the power of your existence to make a positive impact on the world. Birthdays are too important to take for granted.

It’s often said there is wisdom in living like every day is your last because, someday, it will be. Of course, in practice this is kind of tough because with every day that’s not your last, the habit becomes harder and harder to maintain. On the other hand, though it’s tough to live every day like it’s your last, you may consistently give more meaning to your work and life by setting aside one day per year to properly honor your first.